Abuja: Nigeria overcame a resilient Mali in the final game of the 2025 Women’s AfroBasket in Abidjan to become the first team to win the tournament five times in a row.
With this win, Nigeria extended its winning streak to 29-0, dating back to the third-place game of the 2015 tournament in Yaoundé, Cameroon.
As was the case for most of their initial games in the tournament, Nigeria got off to a slow start.
However, feeling threatened by Mali’s intensity, Rena Wakama’s team regrouped in the second quarter and headed to the locker room tied at 41–41.
With the score tied, Wakama’s ladies came out in the third quarter with renewed focus and energy, taking a 61-56 lead in the quarter, capitalising on Mali’s turnovers.
Despite Mali’s valiant effort in the final quarter to mount a comeback, Nigeria maintained its composure and held on to its lead.
They continued to play with confidence, answering every Malian basket with one of their own. The final buzzer sounded with Nigeria winning 78-64.
Nigeria is now the only nation to win more consecutive Women’s AfroBasket titles than any other nation.
Debutant South Sudan beat Senegal 66-65 in the third-place encounter. Medal match, debutant South Sudan defeated Senegal.
